Generation 3 Nuclear Reactors

Transcription

1 Generation 3 Nuclear Reactors French- Slovak summer school The different generations of nuclear reactors From Generation-1 1 to Generation-4 G. Cognet CEA Delegate for Central Europe Nuclear Counsellor French Embassy CEA Delegation for Central Europe 1

2 Nuclear energy in the world NORTH AMERICA 120 reactors Mexique Canada États-unis Ukraine Candidats Suisse EUROPE 177 reactors ASIA + RUSSIA UE-25 Russie 131 reactors Chine Taiwan Arménie Inde Japon Corée SOUTH AMERICA 4 reactors Argentine Brésil Afrique du Sud 2 réacteurs CEA Delegation for Central Europe 2

3 Nuclear : a very concentrated energy 1 kg of natural uranium yields kwh in a thermal fission reactor while 1 kg of coal generates 8 kwh, i.e times less The first nuclear reactor was a natural one (Oklo, 2 billion years ago). CEA Delegation for Central Europe 3

4 The tree of nuclear reactors WPu: Military plutonigenous reactor. SGHWR: Heavy water reactors supplying industrial heat (Steam Generating Heavy Water Reactor). AGR: Graphite-gas reactors (Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor). (V)HTR: (Very) High Temperature Reactor. SCWR: Super Critical Water Reactor. ADS: Hybrid spallationfission system (Accelerator- Driven System). FR: Fast Reactor. MSR: (Molten Salt Reactor). CEA Delegation for Central Europe 4

5 Types of Gen-2 2 reactors PWR Two main types of water reactor coexist: pressurized water reactors (PWR) and boiling water reactors (BWR) CEA Delegation for Central Europe 5

6 CEA Delegation for Central Europe 6

7 Safety principle of PWRs Three barriers and 3 safety functions Control of the chain reaction Evacuation at any moment of the residual power (energy produced in the core at the level of a few % after stopping the chain reaction) Containment of radioactivity, the main part of this relating to the fission products formed in the fuel CEA Delegation for Central Europe 7

8 Gen-2 2 : Optimization & Evolution of the Fleet Competitiveness improvement : 10% less of kwh production cost Increase of the availability factor and of core management Increase of life-time from 30 or 40 up to 50 or 60 years Reactor safety improvement (evolution, for example: H2 recombiners) Reduction of the radiological impact Optimization of spent fuel management Seismic risks: take into account new rules Ageing of structures Containment structure Steam generator Pressurizer Circuits (primary loop) Internals Vessel CEA Delegation for Central Europe 8

9 Simulation tools for nuclear systems Simulation : Simulation : - multi-physical, multi-scale modelling - co-developed numerical platforms ECHELLE SYSTEME ECHELLE 3D-LOCAL ECHELLE COMPOSANT ECHELLE SIMULATION NUMERIQUE DIRECTE CEA Delegation for Central Europe 9

10 Fuel Cycle CEA Delegation CEA Delegation for Central for Europe Central & Eastern Europe - Budapest Kočovce (Slovakia) September March,

11 Conditioning of ultimate waste Glass casting in the laboratory at Marcoule (Gard) Standard vitrified waste container (SVWC) CEA Delegation for Central Europe 11

12 Two major accidents TMI2 (1979) Tchernobyl (1986) CEA Delegation for Central Europe 12

13 The INES scale of nuclear events (1991) CEA Delegation for Central Europe 13

14 Generations of Nuclear Power Systems Generation I DISMANTLING UNGG Generation II CHOOZ REP 900 REP 1300 N4 OPERATION Generation III EPR COEX OPTIMIZATION Generation IV DESIGN & R&D PROTOTYPES DIAMEX/SANEX, GANEX CEA Delegation for Central Europe 14

15 EUR: European utilities requirements EUR: a hub to harmonise European utilities views & requirements A utility network to share experience in plant specification, design evaluation, licensing to build common specifications for the European Gen 3 LWR NPPs A common bridge with the external stakeholders the vendors the EUR utility counterparts outside Europe: EPRI, Asian utilities, the regulators: safety, HV grid, the international organisations: IAEA, OECD, EU, Making Gen 3 a reality in Europe CEA Delegation for Central Europe 15

16 The EUR document CEA Delegation for Central Europe 16

17 EUR: a strong base for harmonisation & standardisation of the designs Continuous activity over more than 15 years has made the EUR organisation one of the central actors in the development Gen 3 LWRs in Europe and worldwide In its current stage the EUR document is fully operational Actually used as technical specification to call for bids Actually used by the NPP vendors willing to be present in Europe, as a guide for designing their new products A living document living document that follows up the progress of technology and the constraints coming from Europe integration CEA Delegation for Central Europe 17

18 Main Objectives of Gen-III/III+ Reactors Standardised design for each type to expedite licensing, reduce capital cost and reduce construction time Simpler and more rugged design, making them easier to operate and less vulnerable to operational upsets Higher availability and longer operating life typically 60 years Reduced possibility of core melt accidents Minimal effect on the environment Higher burn-up to reduce fuel use and the amount of waste Burnable absorbers ("poisons") to extend fuel life The greatest departure from Gen-II incorporates passive or inherent safety features which require no active controls or operational intervention ntion to avoid accidents in the event of malfunction, and rely on gravity,, natural convection or resistance to high temperatures CEA Delegation for Central Europe 18

19 EPR: a matured concept, based on experience feed- back of current PWRs Containment designed to withstand hydrogen deflagration Containment Heat Removal System Prevention of high pressure core melt by depressurisation means Spreading Area Protection of the Basemat In Containment Refueling Water Storage Tank (IRWST) CEA Delegation for Central Europe 19

20 EPR: the first Gen-3 3 licensed in Europe The Path of Greatest Certainty 1650 MWe PWR Generation III+ PWR 4-Loop >4500MWth SG pressure 77bar at 100% power 4x100% redundancy of active safeguard systems Backup in case of total loss of safety function High power output (1650 MWe) Evolutionary design (Konvoi/N4) Low global power generation costs Outstanding safety level Maximized benefit from size effect The Construction Path to Greatest in Finland, Certainty France & China Licensing engaged in USA, UK and India CEA Delegation for Central Europe 20

21 EPR Plot Plan Safeguard Buildings 2+3 Diesel Generators 3-4 Building Safeguard Building 1 Reactor Building Turbine Building Fuel Building C.I. Electrical Building Nuclear Auxiliary Building Diesel Generators 1-2 Building Safeguard Building 4 Waste Building CEA Delegation for Central Europe 21

22 EPR Safety Systems: Best-in in-class APC resistance Reinforced Concrete Shield Building Annulus 1,8 m Prestressed Concrete Containment Building Steel Liner 1,8 m thick Outside Inside BASEMAT EPR Reactor, Fuel and two Safeguard Buildings are airplane crash resistant for both military and commercial aircraft: - No licensing delay - Bolstering public and political acceptance CEA Delegation for Central Europe 22

23 EPR Safety Systems: Redundant and Diverse 4 100% capacity allows for preventive maintenance at power (n+2 concept) Common cause failures safety system diversity: Every system has a diversified back-up External hazards through systematic physical separation of the safety systems Clear separation of redundancies with 4 Safeguard buildings ensures robustness against hazards (flooding, fire) and Airplane Crash Reactor building, Safeguard buildings and Fuel building on a single raft to cope with seismic and Airplane Crash loads P19 S1 Four Train concept and physical separation Proven yet evolutionary safety systems ensure a high reliability level CEA Delegation for Central Europe

24 EPR Safety Systems: Protection of the environment with Passive and Active Systems Active System (Long-term) Passive System (Short-term) IRWST Reactor pit & Sacrificial concrete Spreading area 1. Temporary retention in the reactor pit (gravity and metal gate) 2. Spreading in the large surface dedicated area (metal gate melting and gravity) 3. Flooding and cooling of the spreading area using IRWST (In-containment Refueling Water Storage Tank) 1. Removal of containment heat: Recirculation and coolant heat exchange Containment spray system Optimum severe accident mitigation prevent releases of hazardous material into the atmosphere and/or the soil CEA Delegation for Central Europe 24

25 Gen-3 : An improved back-end of the Fuel Cycle EPR, an increased flexibility for MOX use in reactors Up to 100% MOX Core An enhanced capacity to burn Plutonium MOX Plutonium annual balance Kg Pu/year REP 900 UOX Control rods EPR REP 900 UO 2 : REP 900 MOX : 0 EPR 100% MOX : Enhanced ability for plutonium multi-recycling CEA Delegation for Central Europe 25

26 Nuclear energy: a mature technology Safe and reliable with more than year.reactors of experience Safer and safer with Generation-3 Secure energy supply (versus fossil fuels) and reduces geopolitical / economical risks Competitive No CO2 or Greenhouse Gases produced Promising assets for other applications : transports, heat for industry, desalination, CEA Delegation for Central Europe 26

27 2 main issues But, a problem of public acceptance Radioactive waste management Minimised long-lived, high level radiotoxic waste Safe disposal of remaining waste products Uranium resources: If nuclear energy grows significantly, uranium resources could be engaged by 2050 Annual demand and supply of Uranium ( ) Answer exists: Gen-4 systems Fast neutron reactors Partitioning and transmutation NEA Source 2006 Several challenges for an accepted expansion of nuclear energy CEA Delegation for Central Europe 27

28 Generation-4 4 & Closure of fuel cycle Extract the maximum energy from the fuel Minimize waste radiotoxicity & volume volume/5 radiotoxicity/10 No plutonium in ultimate waste Valuable materials (96%) Uranium (94 to 96 %) Plutonium (1 %) Reprocessing & Recycling Waste (4%) Fission Products (3 to 5 %) Minor Actinides (0,1 %) Vitrification of ultimate waste : very safe conditioning providing long lasting confinement of radioactive waste Needs R&D and demonstration at industrial level CEA Delegation for Central Europe 28

29 GEN-4 4 paves the way for a sustainable nuclear energy New requirements for sustainable nuclear energy Gradual improvements in Competitiveness Safety and reliability Assets for new markets attractiveness simplicity, robustness (safety, non proliferation) Assets for new applications hydrogen production direct use of heat sea water desalination Concepts with breakthroughs Minimization of wastes Preservation of resources Non Proliferation CEA Delegation for Central Europe 29

30 GIF: Key Steps Charter signed in July 2001 to: Identify potential areas of multilateral collaborations on Gen-4 nuclear energy systems Foster collaborative R&D projects Establish guidelines for collaboration and reporting of their results (review, recommendations, ) Define Technology Goals for Generation-4 Identify Concepts with Potential Evaluate Concepts with a Common and Consistently Applied Methodology Identify R&D Gaps and Needs Roadmap Issued in December 2002 January, _IV_Roadmap_ pdf CEA Delegation for Central Europe 30

31 GIF: 6 Innovative concepts with technological breakthroughs Closed Fuel Cycle Sodium Fast reactor Lead Fast Reactor Closed Fuel Cycle Closed Fuel Cycle Gas Fast Reactor Once Through Very High Temperature Reactor Once/Closed Supercritical Water Reactor Molten Salt Reactor Major potential of fast neutron systems with closed fuel cycle for breeding (fissile regeneration) and waste minimization (minor actinides transmutation) Closed Fuel Cycle CEA Delegation for Central Europe 31

32 Contributions to the GIF EURATOM = European Implementing Agent Japenese Chairmanship since end of 2009 (3 year term) CEA Delegation for Central Europe 32

33 Nuclear energy in Europe for the 21st century Renaissance No CO2 emissions Energy security of supply Competitiveness Safety Gen-2 Plant life time extension Gen-3 deployment Sustainability Gen-4 systems Waste management Resources preservation New markets (Hydrogen production, industrial heating ) CEA Delegation for Central Europe 33

34 Thank you for your attention CEA Delegation for Central Europe 34